Modelkeenfan Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 Hi all Does the F-15E strike eagle still carry the LITENING navigation pod together with the SNIPER Pod? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mrvark Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 Yes--as you can see here. The most probable reason is that the weapon separation tests were performed with two pods installed and that configuration is all that is authorized. As for the Sniper pod replacing the LANTIRN targeting pod, they probably made the determination that the airflow differences around the two pods was insignificant. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ST0RM Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 In that picture Jim, I see the SNIPER pod but no LITENING. Only the AAQ-13 Nav pod on the right station. The camera window can be seen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mrvark Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 29 minutes ago, ST0RM said: In that picture Jim, I see the SNIPER pod but no LITENING. Only the AAQ-13 Nav pod on the right station. The camera window can be seen. Look just to the left of the NLG light and you'll see the radome and farther back you can see the silhouette of the rest of the pod in front of the GBU-31(V)3/B Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 AAQ-13 Nav pod IS a LANTIRN pod. SNIPER replaced the AAQ-14 LANTIRN TGP. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 Such a great shot !! Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
eraucubsfan Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 This page helped me when I did my F-15E http://www.fast-air.co.uk/f-15e-strike-eagle-training-load-out/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Falconxlvi Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 10 hours ago, habu2 said: AAQ-13 Nav pod IS a LANTIRN pod. SNIPER replaced the AAQ-14 LANTIRN TGP. This. ⬆️ Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 LANTIRN is a two pod system. -13 is the NAV (navigation) pod and -14 is the TGP (targeting pod) Sniper is a targeting only pod so it only replaces the LANTIRN TGP. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 Has the NAV pod been updated at all? With most missions seemingly flying at higher altitudes, is this pod even used very often? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dan Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, 11bee said: Has the NAV pod been updated at all? With most missions seemingly flying at higher altitudes, is this pod even used very often? I have often wondered this, guess the answer is if they still train in the low level strike mission or not? Edited March 3, 2021 by dan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mrvark Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Falconxlvi Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 (edited) The NAV pod hasn’t been updated but it’s still very much trained to. The NAV pod is only used for the TFR function these days as NVGs have made the FLIR obsolete. I sometimes found myself using the FLIR at Bagram where the visibility was terrible due to dust, and I could use the FLIR in daytime to pick up the runway rolling out on final if I lost visual with the runway off the perch in the final turn (brightness all the way up!). Yes, the vis was that bad sometimes despite “VFR” weather 🤣 We conduct a ton of LOFT and LAT (low altitude toss) attacks on our various low levels in the B-course surface attack phase, both day and night, mostly with simulated GBU-12s. The CAF squadrons also train to TF ops routinely as well. Until TFR is taken off the squadron doc statements, we gotta keep training to it, even though there’s no way F-15Es are going in low and lofting bombs anymore. It is a capability that is unique to the F-15E/B-1 at this point. Steve Edited March 4, 2021 by Falconxlvi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 Low altitude tossing of LGB’s is still practiced? I thought that went away with the F-111F. Sounds challenging! Out of idle curiosity- do you guys still routinely practice delivery of dumb bombs? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Falconxlvi Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, 11bee said: Low altitude tossing of LGB’s is still practiced? I thought that went away with the F-111F. Sounds challenging! Out of idle curiosity- do you guys still routinely practice delivery of dumb bombs? Yes and...kind of. ACC took pops and regular dive bombing out of the syllabus. Some BDU-50s are dropped via SLD (low altitude level pass), LATs, and Lofts for a Lakenheath requirement. But no 10/20/30 dive bombs. Honestly it was a good move because there isn’t enough time in the B-course to get folks ready for what they will actually do. So, LJDAM (GBU-54) and SDB employment took the place of pops and container rides. Everything is geared toward LGB, JDAM, and strafe employment in the air to ground phase. I verified this with my buds still teaching since my info is a few years old now, but it’s still true. And yes... 30 degree GBU-12 lofts are still a thing! 😂👍🏻🤷♂️ Edited March 5, 2021 by Falconxlvi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mrvark Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 1 hour ago, Falconxlvi said: Yes and...kind of. ACC took pops and regular dive bombing out of the syllabus. Some BDU-50s are dropped via SLD (low altitude level pass), LATs, and Lofts for a Lakenheath requirement. But no 10/20/30 dive bombs. Honestly it was a good move because there isn’t enough time in the B-course to get folks ready for what they will actually do. So, LJDAM (GBU-54) and SDB employment took the place of pops and container rides. Everything is geared toward LGB, JDAM, and strafe employment in the air to ground phase. I verified this with my buds still teaching since my info is a few years old now, but it’s still true. And yes... 30 degree GBU-12 lofts are still a thing! 😂👍🏻🤷♂️ Man, what happened to the pilot's union?! Back in the Vark days we did a ton of low angle deliveries to entertain the pilots! The Mudhen pilots must get SO bored! I almost feel sorry for them (not really--WSOs forever!).🤣 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Falconxlvi Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 38 minutes ago, mrvark said: Man, what happened to the pilot's union?! Back in the Vark days we did a ton of low angle deliveries to entertain the pilots! The Mudhen pilots must get SO bored! I almost feel sorry for them (not really--WSOs forever!).🤣 Hahaha - there’s still a lot to do ... like not hit the rocks 😂 and SLAY in air to air 😎 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 So did smart munitions replace CCIP / CCRP delivery modes ? (dating myself...) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Falconxlvi Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 6 hours ago, habu2 said: So did smart munitions replace CCIP / CCRP delivery modes ? (dating myself...) They didn’t replace them, but SW delivery modes have been added. Different symbology in the HUD when a JDAM is under the pickle button than a Mk.__., etc. You can still select CCIP. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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